Rotary engine.



J MoRAE.

ROTARY ENGINE.

APPLICATION FILED JAN.12,1912.

1 053 739 Patented Feb. 18,1913.

3 SHEETSSHEET 1.

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a fi WITNESSES INVE/VTUR N. J], James Mc Ra'e', 721/011 //1([/L ByATTORNEYS J. MoRAE.

ROTARY ENGINE.

APPLICATION FILED JAN.12,1912.

Patented Feb. 18, 1913.

3 SHEBTS-SHEBT 2.

INVE/VTUH James Mc Rae, BY P6,

ATTORNEYS NM W\\ IQN QM \N 7 WM 1 ON Q0 1 mm n & A NM WITNESSES N Nal/fol iww flmw/ J. McRAE.

ROTARY ENGINE.

APPLICATION FILED JAN.12,1912.

1,053,739, Patented Feb. 18, 1913.

3 SHBETSSHEET 3.

L, Q IEI\ WITNESSES HJ/ 11 I A L,

k INVENTOR ATTORNEYS tating JAMES MORAE, OF GREENVILLE, FLORIDA.

ROTARY ENGINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 18,-1913.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES MCRAE, a citizen of the United States, and aresident of Greenville, in the county oflMadison and State of Florida,have invented a new and Improved Rotary Engine, of which the followingis a full, clear, and exact description.

My invent-ion relates to a. rotary engine, and paliticularly relates tothe means for controlling the steam inlet valve and to the means forgoverning the speed-of the roarts.

An 0 ject of my invention is to provide a rotary engine having a steaminlet actuated by the relative position of the piston and the inlet.

A further object of my invention is to provide a positive means forintercepting the passage of the actuating fluid to the enginedwhen thesame is running at abnormal spec v Reference is to be had to theaccompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in whichsimilar characters of ref: erence indicate corresponding parts in allthe figures, and in which-- Figure 1 is a vertical transverse sectionalview taken through a preferred embodiment of my invention and on theline 1-1 of Fig. 2, looking in the direction of the arrow; Fig. 2 is atransverse sectional view taken on the irregular line 2-2 of Fig. 1;Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the engine, partly In section, and takenon the line 3-3 of Fig. 2; Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 3, butshowing the reverse side of the engine; Fig. 5 is a view, partlydiagrammatic and partly in section, showing the steam inlet valves innormal working position, and in this case, showing the left-handcylinder open to the steam and the right-hand cylinder open to theexhaust; Fi 6 is a view similar to Fig. 5, but showing both steam inletsclosed due to the abnormally high speed of the r0- tating parts; andFig. 7 is a view similar to Fig. 5, but showing the valves in theirreversed position.

Described more in detail, I have shown in this instance, a'rotaryengine, comprising a base 8 integral with. a cylindrical casing '9, theopposite faces of which casing have heads 1() and 11 thereon. Disposedin the casing and parallel with the heads, is a central partition 12,integral with the casing 9, thereby dividing the device into a left-handsteam chamber 13 and a right- Application filed January 12, 1912. SexiaINo. 870,790.

hand steam chamber 14. These chambers and their coacting and containingparts are similar in construction, so that but one of the parts will bedescribed in detail, it being understood tha-tthe arrangement isduplicated for each and every chamber.

Centrally extending through the heads 10 and 11 and partition 12, is afreely rotating shaft 15. Rotatably mounted upon the shaft andpositioned within each of the steam chambers 13 and 14, is a flatcylinso constructed and arranged that steam from the inlet, hereinafterdescribed, will act on the boss, forcing it in the direction of thearrow shown in F i 1, thereby rotating the piston 16. If esired, apacking 19 of any suitable construction may be disposed between theinner face of the casin 9 and the outer face of the boss 18. Pre erably,in a case where two steam chambers are used, as in the illustration, theboss of one piston is disposed at one hundred and eighty degrees to theother piston, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1 and in the unshadedspace in Fig. 2.

Steam is admitted through the inlet pipe 20 to a'steam chest 21 on thetop of the easing 9, and from the steam chest is exhausted through aU-shaped by-pass 22 in a slidin valve 23, which valve is partly disposedwithin the steam chest- 21 and extends through an opening 24 in thecasing 9 and bears upon the outer periphery of the piston 16. With theparts in the position shown in Fig. 1, the steam has free admission toact on the boss 18, until the boss passes the exhaust 25, when the steamchamber 17 is opened to the atmosphere. In order to shut off theadmission of the steam, thereis positioned on an extending rod 26projecting upwardly from the sliding valve 23, exteriorly of the steamchest, a finger 27, which finger is adapted to be engaged by a. camwheel 28 mounted on a bracket 29 supported from the steam. chest 21,which cam wheel is rotated by a reach arm 30, the opposite end of whichreach arm 30 is attached to band straps 31 of an eccentric wheel 32,

' heads and 11.

on the shaft 15, exteriorly of each of the cam 28 is so regulatedrelative to the posi=l tion of the boss 18, that the finger 27 toetherwith the valve 23, is raised when the esired amount of steam has beenadmitted to the chamber 17, and the valve 23 is held in position outpfthe chamber '17 until the boss 18 has passed the opening 24. In ordertoprevent the valve 23 from dropping before the boss 18has passed, thereis positioned on the upper end of the rod 26, a plunger 33 moving in anair cylinder 33, to form a dash pot. By this outlined construction, itwill be noted that the valve 23 will slowlydrop into position to engagethe periphery of the piston 16, and, at the same time, to permit theinflux of steam into the chamber 17.

The admission of steam to the chamber 17 is automatically controlled bythe speed of the revolving shaft 15, and I attain this v regulation ofsteam admission by positioning within the steam chest 21- andsurrounding the. upper portion of the valve 23, a collar 34, projectingfrom one side of which is a lug 35, which lug has rigidly positionedtherein and extending from the steam chest 21, an actuating rod 36, onefor each chamber, and, as described in connection with this disclosure,the coupling of two such rods will be described in detail.

Centrally disposedbetween the two spacedapart rods 36 and mountedexteriorly of the casing 9, is a bracket 37, pivoted centrally of whichbracket is a lever 38 having pivoted to its opposite ends, the outer endof each of the rods 36. Extending from the side of the head 11 is abracket 39, centrally pivoted to the upper end of which bracket, is alever 40 having one end pivotally connected at 41, to one arm of thelever 38, the other arm of which lever 40 has pivoted thereto a reachrod 42. Rigidly mounted upon and rotating with the shaft 15 is a wheel44. Pivoted to the outer side of the face of the wheel 44 and ofi'center thereof, is a sector-shaped plate 45 normally extendingdiametrically of said wheel, the central portion of which plate ispivoted at 46 to the lower end of the reach rod 42. The upper portion 47of the plate 45 has a slot 48 extending substantially parallel to theperiphery of the wheel 44. Mounted within the slot 48 is a compressionspring 49, one end of which bears against one end of the slot, and theopposite end of which bears upon a stop pin 50 carried by the face ofthe wheel 44 and projecting through said slot, the tendency of thespring being to maintain the pivot 46 off-centered from the axis ofrotation of the shaft 15.

It will be seen by the above-outlined construction, that the pivotalpoint 46 describes The engagement of the,

wea /ea a path about the circle indicated in full and in dotted lines inFigs. 5 to 7 inclusive. This will cause the reach rod 42 to freelyreciprocate, thereby alternately opening and closing the steam inlet 22of first the ri'htandthen the left-hand chamber 17. Re erring moreparticularly to Fig. 5, it will be noted that the rod 42 being at itsupper limit of movement, has depressed the collar 34 in the right-handcylinder and has raised the collar 34 infthe left-hand cylinder, therebypermitting the entrance of steam into'the left-hand cylinder. Referringmore, particularly to Fig. 7, it will be noted that the wheel 43 hasdescribed one-half a revolution, so that the rod 42 is at its lowermostposition of travel, thereby elevating the right-hand collar 34,admitting steam into the righthand cylinder, and depressing the othercollar 34, so as to intercept the admission of steam into the left-handcylinder.

Should the rotating parts hereinbefore described, attain an abnormallyhigh speed,

that is, a speed that would develop a centrifugal force greater than theactuating force of the spring 48, the pivotal point 46 will tend tocenter itself relative to the rotating wheel 44 so that there will be noreciprocation of the rod 42, and in this position, both of the sleeves34 are in position to intercept the passage of steam to either of thechambers. The rotating parts will then'slow said sliding valve having arod integral therewith and extending from said steam chest, a fingerrigidly mounted 'upon said rod exteriorly of said chest, and a rotatingcam wheel adapted to periodically engage said finger, to raise saidsliding valve into an inoperative position. v

2. In a rotary engine, a steam chest, a sliding valve reciprocating insaid chest and having a by-pass therein, a sleeve telescoping saidvalve, and means controlled by the speed of the moving partsof theengine, adapted to actuate said sleeve to close communication throughsaid by-pass.

3. In a rotary engine, a casing, a cylindrical piston rotatably mountedin said casing, a sliding valve reciprocating in said casing and adaptedto contact with said piston, said sliding valve having a by-passtherein, means for raising said valve out of said casing, and

sliding valve reclprocatmg 1n said chest,

means comprising a dash pot, permitting bers, a steam chest, a steaminlet to said steam chest, a pair of valves in said steam chest, onevalve for each chamber, a lever, the opposite ends of which are pivotedto one of said valves, a second lever having one end pivoted to one endof said first-mentioned lever, a rotating governor, and a reach armconnecting said second-mentioned lever with said governor, whereby therotation of said governor in its normal position will reciprocate saidreach rod, to alternately open and close said valves.

5. In a rotary engine, two steam chambers, a steam chest, a pair ofvalves in the steam chest, each valve having a port, a slidable memberfor controlling the port of each valve, a pivoted lever, a connectionbetween each end of the lever and a-slidable member, a second leverpivotally connected with the first lever, a governor, and a connectionbetween the governor and said second lever.

6. In a rotary engine, two steam chambers, a steam chest, a pair ofvalves in the steam chest, each valve having a port, means for raisingthe valves, means for controlling the descent of said valves, a movablemember controlling the port of each valve, a governor, and a connectionbetween the governor and said members for controlling the movements ofthe latter.

7. In a rotary engine, a cylinder, a steam chest on the cylinder, aninlet valve having a port, a member slidable on the valve forcontrolling the port thereof, and means controlled by the speed of theengine for operating said slidable member.

8. In a rotary engine, a cylinder, a cylindrical piston in the'cylinderand provided with a boss engaging the inner wall of the cylinder, asteam chest on the cylinder, an inlet valve slidable in the steam chestand projecting into the cylinder, said valve being provided with aby-pass, means for operating the valve, a member slidable on the valvefor controlling the by pass thereof, and means for operating saidslidable member.

9. A rotary engine, comprising a casing, a cylindrical pistonconcentrically mounted within said casing, a steam inlet, com rising asliding valve normally extending t rough said casing, to engage theperiphery of said piston, said valve having a by-pass therein, the innerend of said by-pass being normally within said casing, means controlledby the rotation of the piston for raisin said valve to prevent theentrance of said' y-pass into the cylinder, and means independent of themovement of said valve, adapted to close said by-pass when said pistonhas attained an abnormal speed.

10. In a rotary engine, a cylinder, a steam chest thereon, a shaft, aneccentric wheel mounted on said shaft, a cam, a connection between saideccentric wheel and said cam, adapted to give said cam a rotarymovement, an inlet steam valve for controlling the admission of steaminto the cylinder, and a finger rigidly mounted on said valve andadapted to be engaged by said cam, whereby the rotation of said shaftwill intercept the passage of steam to the engine at a predeterminedpoint in its rotation.

11. In a rotary engine, a cylinder, a steam chest on the cylinder, avalve for admitting steam from the chest into the cylinder, said valvebeing provided with a laterally projecting finger, a cam wheel adaptedto engage the said finger, to raise the valve, a rotating shaft, aneccentric on the shaft, and an arm connecting the eccentric with the camwheel.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses.

JAMES MoRAE.

Witnesses:

.JAooB VIcKERs,

J. F. GODARD.

